PBwiki

• What is it? What does it do?

PBwiki is a website that is the largest provider of business and educational wikis. A wiki is a web page that allows users to create and edit the content of the webpage also called wiki. You can easily, within minutes get started with your own wiki page on PBwiki page. You can also add pages as desired. You can start an educational page for free and then upgrade at a cost. When you create a page you add text. A person who has the password may edit content on the page and save to update the page. There is an icon of a peanut butter sandwich on each page because it is said using PBwiki is as easy as making a peanut butter sandwich.

• What are the infrastructure and technical requirements for this tool?

The site is easy to navigate. Sign up is quick and easy. Support teams are available to trouble shoot. It is ad free.

Requires you sharing a password in order to have groups visit and add/edit a page.

You can back up your data with a click of the mouse. The website will back up data too. You are notified when someone edits content on a page.

• How can you use it effectively in instruction?

Teachersusing the site relate that their students use Pbwiki to edit content from homeduring the week and on weekends. Teachers can use the site to have students write book or project reviews.

Students could work in PBwiki to do group work. It does have page history so you can go back and see who added what content.

Students could create a page simulating a webpage.

• What are other education applications for this tool?

Instead of using email which takes up space, a one page wiki could record information to capture brainstorming ideas or collective responses on a topic.

You can embed information from a variety of sources such as pictures and video clips. The site offers videos and presentation materials for teachers. You can check the right panel for links.

• What are the limitations and cautions related to use of this tool?

Caution: You would have to set clear guidelines for adding/changing content on a page because whoever has the password can edit content. Digital citizenship must be in the forefront of users thinking.

• What are the management considerations for this tool?

It only has 10MB of storage space so you may need to use another source for storage.

You are notified when someone edits so you can view changes made to wikis. Teachers would need to carefully monitor input of students to make sure all postings are appropriate.

Scrapblog

What is it? What does it do?

Scrapblog allows users to create scrapbooks by importing photos. The scrapbook pages look beautiful, just like regular scrapbook pages that someone might spend hours creating. On Scrapblog, you can simply drag and drop photographs into shapes and boarders. Users can choose a theme for each page or use blank pages. elements suchs as shapes, borders, transitions, and music can be added. It is very easy to use.

Wat are the infrastructure and technical requirements for this tool? An internet connection and your digital phots are all that is needed.

How can you use it effectively in instruction?

Scrapblog can be used in many of the same ways as PhotoStory. Students can create on-line scrapbooks of field trips, school projects, or special activities and send them to their parents or do class presentations. Students could also use Scrapblog to create scrapbooks of different periods in time, geographical regions, or settings from a story. Many classroom applications are possible.

What are the limitations and cautions related to use of this tool? Check the policy regarding posting students’ photographs. Make sure students did not opt-out.

What are the management considerations for this tool? It is very easy to use. Teachers will need to monitor students’ photographs, help them download photos on the computer, set up blog or projector for sharing.

Jotspot

What is it? What does it do?

Jotspot http://www.jot.com/

Jotspot was once a private company, but was acquired and is now operated by Google. It is free to use.

It is a wiki-based tool that provides a framework and templates to create web-based spreadsheets, calendars, documents and photo galleries. It is basically a web based group workspace.

Administrative controls allow sites to be set up so only specific users (typically with email addresses in a certain domain) can have editing or viewing access. Pages can also be open to editing or viewing by anyone.

With the selection of templates and easy to use web based materials, non-technical individuals can create and manage sites for group collaborations.

What are the infrastructure and technical requirements for this tool?

Users only need a web browser and Google Services to use this tool. No special hardware or other software is required.

How can you use it effectively in instruction?

Jotspot is most effective when used for group collaboration. It can be used to set up web pages for class members to record research results, pose questions, add and edit material, add databases, post pictures, and cooperate in collecting and updating information for their project. Because it is a wiki, the pages can be edited and updated by those who are a part of the community.

Since Jotspot allows multiple users to edit a shared document, this type of web tool would be beneficial to group and class writing assignments. Since it only requires a web browser, word processors are not required and greater collaboration in writing projects can occur.

What are the limitations and cautions related to use of this tool?

The greatest concern with this type of tool is that it is open to all members. Caution must be exercised because there may be a lack of monitoring of posts and additions to the web pages. This would not be controlled by BCPS because it is openly on the internet. A teacher using this resource would have to monitor its content.

My Opinion of Jotspot

I think this would be a really great tool to use for a school website. Every part of the school could be connected to a one stop internet site, including grade level, administration and PTA.

The way BCPS has things set up now, each teacher, and school has a separate site. It would really be a great way to connect the entire school community.

Peepel

By Mary Ann Rigopoulos

http://www.peepel.com/

What is it? What does it do?

· Peepel is a rather new (2007) Web-based office suite that is managed within one browser window.

· It emulates the feel of a desktop workspace.

· It is a platform that can run multiple applications at once within multiple, resizable windows that are all inside of an internet browser window.

· It allows for creativity, information sharing and collaboration among users.

· It is a free online suite, which means that if you have an internet connection, you can access your files from any computer.

· It provides a set of applications on the web and you do not need to install proprietary software.

· You are able to both import and export files from Microsoft Office Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Open Office Writer documents and Cale spreadsheets when you use Peepel.

· It has a toolbar that stays at the top of the Peepel desktop that enhances depending on the kind of document you are working on.

What are the infrastructure and technical requirements for this tool?

· Minimum system requirements are:

1. Pentium III 800 MHZ or higher

2. 256mb RAM or higher

3. 1024 x 768 display

4. Internet connection

5. Keyboard, mouse, or other pointing device

6. Higher spec-machines are recommended

· Peepel has been tested and can work with the following browsers:

1. Internet Explorer 6 or grater

2. Mozilla Firefox 1.3 or greater

3. Mozilla Seamonkey

· There is a limit of 2Mb per file.

How can you use it effectively in instruction?

· I am not certain that Peepel is the best Web 2.0 tool to be used for direct instruction with students.

· I have some ideas on how educators can use it under the answers to the next question.

What are other education applications for this tool?

· Since the files can be shared, a team of teachers/administrators could create a professional development activity. It could be for example a PowerPoint, or photo story. When people add to it, you know because Peepel let’s you know. Since it is shared you don’t need to worry about which is the most updated project.

· Teachers could create a lesson together by adding to a document that as been created. It could be used in conjunction with lesson studies.

· There is an RSS feature that notifies everyone whenever someone has made a change in the document.

What are the limitations and cautions related to the use of this tool?

· School system may filter out and not allow access to Peepel.

· Although the files are yours, one needs to be careful not to breach other people’s intellectual property rights and to honor the terms and conditions.

· There is a limit to the size of a file.

What are the management considerations for this tool?

· Users would probably need to have sophisticated technology skills to use Peepel.

· There are a lot of windows that could be opened using Peepel. Users would need to learn to stack windows. Others may resist using Peepel.

del.icio.us

What is it? What can it do?

del.icio.us is a social bookmarking site. It allows you to keep and share favorites with friends, family, coworkers, etc. It also allows you to discover new things which have been posted by others. Your bookmarks are stored online which allows you to access and store websites from anywhere. It can be browsed by anyone, however, you need to register for an account in order to save bookmarks. To register all that is needed is a username and password. It is a completely free service and you can multiple accounts, I.e. personal and work. The site was created in 2003 by Joshua Schachter as a hobby. In December of 2005, Yahoo! acquired del.icio.us. Although this is a public site, bookmarks can be marked private which are only viewable to you. Bookmarks can be searched by keywords and tags (a one-word descriptor that you assign to a bookmark). Del.icio.us is an open-ended system.

It can be used to:

Conduct research

Create a Wishlist

Podcast

Plan a Vacation

link log

Save recipes in a Cookbook

Collaborate with others through a shared account.

Infrastructure and Technical requirements:

In order to access it all you need is browser and an internet connection like: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera or Flock.

Suggested ways for effective use instruction and other education applications:

David Muir in “Simply Del.icio.us listed the following educational possibilities:

Web sites for research or projects

Books recommendations

Professional research

List of books you would like to read

Placing web links on your school web page

Students can find resources at home and access them at school and vice versa

Share what you are reading or view what your peers are reading on the web

Web site collections tagged by school topic

Other ideas:

Create a personal dictionary

Network with other educators

Create a school or grade level bookmark account

Collaborate and share bookmarks with colleagues

Send or highlight bookmarks to specific users

Create a special tag just for a class project

Create a list of resources for students that can put on a course website

When previewing the site, I did several researches and found that like all searches the more defined topic the more specific sites are given. For example:

Topic	Items	Other information
Spreadsheets – to teach a lesson on graphing	21	Types of sites: Create a graph; Graph types for kids; graphing with excel;
Use of technology in the classroom	3,385	Various sites which tell how you could use technology and the value of technology
Reading	231,842	Related tags: reading, books, education, literature, literacy, reference, productivity
Cause/Effect	1, 7888	Graphic organizers, lesson plans
Lesson Plans	4,062
Elementary Lesson Plans	1,438
Elementary Rdg. Lesson Plans	421
1st Grade Reading Lesson Plans	112

What are limitations and cautions:

There are limitations and cautions related to all social bookmarking sites. The Educause Learning Initiative article, “7 Things you Should Know about Social Bookmarking” states:

By definition social bookmarking is done by amateurs. There is no oversight as to how resources are organized and tagged. For example, if a user saves a bookmark for a site with information about greyhounds but only tags the site with the term “greyhounds” and not also with “dogs” or perhaps “dog racing,” that resource might never be found by someone looking for information about breeds of dogs. Because social bookmarking reflects the values of the community of users, there is a risk of presenting a skewed view of the value of any particular topic. For example, users might assign pejorative tags to certain resources, in addition, social bookmarking means storing data in yet another location that you have to maintain and update.”

Other cautions:

Inappropriate websites could be posted

Not all information may be reliable or true

There are no standards for tagging – teachers could provide a list of acceptable tags for a project

As can be seen from chart above – students must be given guidelines as to what to search for

Need to be registered to be able to mark bookmarks

Teachers would need to review websites that students could access

Management Considerations:

Blocked by BCPS

Registration required to mark bookmarks but not to search

Need to agree to Terms of Service

For general questions there is a FAQs and help pages. If answer is not found there, you need to email your question. No phone number is given.